BERTO VS URANGO TO BE OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCED AT NYY STEAK‏

HOLLYWOOD, FL,– The day before the New York Yankees make their debut in their new home in the Bronx, two of boxing’s heaviest hitters – Andre Berto and Juan Urango - will enter the new Yankee Stadium to announce a May 30th event that is destined to produce more big shots than a home run derby.

A 2004 Olympian for Haiti, Andre Berto (24-0, 19 KOs) is one of boxing’s rising young stars, a status he owes to his incredible talent and crowd-pleasing style. Unbeaten as a pro, Berto parlayed wins over Norberto Bravo, Cosme Rivera, David Estrada, and Michel Trabant into a 2008 title shot against Miguel Angel Rodriguez and Berto made the most of his opportunity, stopping his foe in seven rounds to win the WBC welterweight title. The 25-year old has since defended his title with wins over Steve Forbes and Luis Collazo, and he plans on adding a third defense to his record against Urango.

One of boxing’s hardest punchers, pound for pound, Juan “Iron Twin” Urango (21-1-1, 16 KOs) has struck fear into the hearts of opponents ever since his pro debut in 2002. Since then, he has won the IBF junior welterweight title twice, with his only setback coming via decision to Ricky Hatton in 2007. The Monteria, Colombia native bounced back from that defeat with four straight wins, the most recent coming over Herman Ngoudjo in January in a bout that earned him his second world title. Now he chases after bigger game in the welterweight division.

This event is presented by DiBella Entertainment and Seminole Warriors Boxing and will be televised live on HBO Boxing After Dark beginning at 9:45 pm ET / 6:45pm PT.
See you at the Fights.
Thanks for your time.

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Figueroa takes on veteran Augustus Nov. 8 on Jones-Calzaghe PPV in Madison Square Garden

LAS VEGAS– NABF light welterweight champion Frankie “El Gato” Figueroa, recently signed to a promotional contract by Roy Jones, Jr.’s Square Ring Promotions, will now take on the unofficial gatekeeper of the light welterweight division, veteran Emanuel “Drunken Master” Augustus, in the opening bout on the November 8th Jones-Calzaghe HBO PPV card at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Figueroa (19-2, 13 KOs) had been in Las Vegas training to fight his original opponent, former WBA light welterweight champion Gavin “The Rock” Rees, who pulled out of the fight with a broken nose.

Nicknamed “El Gato” – The Cat – because he was the only one quick enough to catch a cat that was a mascot at his original gym in the Bronx, Frankie is now matched against the unorthodox Augustus, who participated in ESPN’s Fight of the Decade against Micky Ward, in a 8/10-round non-title fight.

“I’m very happy to be fighting Emanuel Augustus,” Figueroa said. “We were having a tough time finding a good opponent. He stepped up and I’m not afraid to fight anybody. He’s an entertaining fighter and together we’ll give fans what they really want to see. The change of opponent doesn’t mean anything to me. I’ll be fully focused on Augustus, execute my plan, and come out victorious.”

The 30-year-old Figueroa, a Puerto Rican-American born in Spanish Harlem, not too long ago was counseling rebellious teens in New York City. He was a 2-time New York City high school wrestler, 14-0 as a senior, who didn’t start boxing until eight years ago after taking advice from a friend. A U.S. Army veteran rated No. 4 by the WBC, No. 5 by the IBF and No. 15 by the WBA, Figueroa’s coming off of a by 12-round decision against Luis Rodriquez (22-1) last May, extending Frankie’s win streak to 11 that dates back to March of 2005.

Augustus’ misleading 38-29-6 (20 KOs) record includes many fights against a virtual Who’s Who of the light welterweight division. He has been stopped only three times in 73 pro fights, the last time in 2000 against Floyd Mayweather, Jr. During his 14-year pro career, Augustus has upset “Sucra” Ray Oliveira and Alex Trujillo, fought a draw with the late Leavender Johnson, and been in against, among the more notables in addition to Mayweather and Ward, the likes of Herman Ngoudjo, David Diaz, Antonio Diaz, John John Molina, Ivan Robinson, Diosbelys Hurtado and Leonard Dorin.

For more information about Frankie Figueroa visit his web site at www.teamgato.com, where you can enter a sweepstakes to win what he’s wearing in the ring Nov. 8 as well as a cash prize by simply filling out the mailing list form on the home page.

Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience The Video Channel Online http://www.youtube.com/ELEmpress1

EL Boxing Empress Keisha Morrisey's Myspace http://www.myspace.com/Keishadivine

Honorable Keisha Morrisey http://www.keishamorrisey.com

©®™ 2007, 2008 All photos by "EL Boxing Empress" Keisha Morrisey- Empire Morrisey Studios, for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved

IBF junior welterweight champion 'Paulie 'The Magic Man' Malignaggi training in Sicily for his May 24 rematch against Lovemore N'dou in England

N’dou strictly business for champ Malignaggi



Paul Malignaggi talks about up and coming fight with Lovemore N'Dou May 24th in England
Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience The Video Channel http://www.youtube.com/ELEmpress1

SIRACUSA, Sicily– IBF junior welterweight champion Paulie “The Magic Man” Malignaggi has shifted training camp from Vero Beach (Florida) to Sicily in preparation for his May 24 rematch with Lovemore N’dou on the Ricky Hatton-Juan Lazcano card in Manchester, England.



Malignaggi (24-1, 5 KOs) captured the IBF title last June by defeating champion N’dou (46-9-1, 31 KOs) by unanimous 12-round decision.



Paulie successfully defended his belt this past January with a 12-round decision against No. 1 contender Herman Ngoudjo (16-1).



Fighting an opponent he thoroughly outclassed (120-106, 120-106, 118-108) less than a year ago, flooring him in the process, has all the makings of a potential trap fight for Malignaggi, especially with a potential mega-deal on the table to fight Ricky Hatton this fall in New York City, pending wins May 24 by both fighters.



“I’m just working on getting the job done May 24th,” Malignaggi explained. “I’m focused on doing my job on this card, not looking any deeper than I have to. I’m training in Sicily to get acclimated to the time change (like England, 6 hours difference from the East Coast of the U.S.). I have connections here and everything was set-up for me, including my sparring partners. I trained two weeks in Vero Beach with Buddy (McGirt, head trainer) and he’ll catch up with us in Sicily.



“N’dou is a pressure fighter who fights at a high pace. I just have to stay consistent and fight like I did our first fight. I’ll force him into making adjustments. He has to try and get to me, come to me, not stay on the outside. He’s been the same fighter for a long time and I don’t expect anything much different this fight.”



Malignaggi was born in Brooklyn but his Italian immigrant parents moved back to Siracuse, Sicily when Paulie was only a few months old. Six years later, the family decided to move back to the United States, but Paulie’s professional soccer playing father, Nello, stayed only a few weeks before returning to live in Siracuse.

McGirt predicts Malignaggi will be ready for N’dou once again. “N’dou brought in Boza Edwards to train him and I know they’ll be concentrating more on a body attack,” Buddy said. “They’ll judge Paulie off of his last fight (against Ngoudjo) and try to do a couple of things differently. Once things don’t go his way, hopefully, N’dou will go back to fighting the way he always does.

Buddy McGirt


“Paulie won’t be looking ahead to Hatton. He never mentioned Hatton’s name in the two weeks he trained here (Vero Beach). Paulie learned a tough lesson against Ngoudjo, looking ahead to talks about fighting Hatton. There’s no Hatton fight unless he wins this fight. Paulie will be ready.”

Hatton


CONTACT:Bob Trieger Full Court Press

©®™ 2007, 2008 All photos by "El Boxing Empress" Keisha Morrisey- Empire Morrisey Studios, for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience all rights reserved